By the time the University of Newcastle builds its proposed city-centre campus in the Civic precinct, the state government will have removed the heavy rail line between Wickham and Newcastle.

Students who want to catch a train to university from outside the city, in places like Maitland and the wider Hunter, will have to change to a bus, light rail or walk to their place of study when they reach Wickham.

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Mr Lynch wrote that he was concerned about how making public transport to the site complex could lead to traffic congestion in the precinct, if people opted to drive instead of use public transport.

“The thing that makes no sense to me about cutting the rail line is the fact that the government is building a 4000-student university at Civic Station,” he said.

“Parking in the Civic precinct is difficult now even at night when businesses are shut.

“Try finding a park to attend the Civic Theatre when there is a performance in town and the theatre is only half-full.

“Parking at the Shortland campus of the university can be difficult at peak times and there are many hectares of car parks out there.”